8 May, Minsk /BELTA correspondent/. Belarus and the West should overcome disagreements through dialogue, not sanctions and bans. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko today, addressing the Belarusian people and the National Assembly with a Message, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. "Yes, we have different views on certain issues of societal organisation. However, these disagreements should be overcome through dialogue and negotiations, not sanctions and bans. The sanctions policy is mistaken, first and foremost, because it is useless and fruitless," the Head of State believes. Alexander Lukashenko emphasised that Belarus harbours no hostility towards either the European Union or the USA. "This is because we primarily see what unites us, not what divides us. And at the same time, we look to the future," he added. The President confirmed that the European Union is one of the most important vectors for Belarus. "Economically, and politically as well, Belarus and the European Union are important partners for each other. In terms of exports, the European Union is our number one partner, and in terms of overall trade turnover, it is number two after Russia," said the Head of State. "One hundred million tonnes of cargo transported by rail, road, and air through Belarus in the West-East direction and vice versa, 70% of Russian oil and a third of natural gas pumped to European countries through Belarusian territory – all this firmly binds us to Europe, at the centre of which we are located," the President noted. He added that other important areas of interaction should not be forgotten either – combating illegal migration, drug trafficking, smuggling, including the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials and weapons, and maintaining secure borders. -0-

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